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English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star1

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star2Patol Babu : Film Star

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star3About the writer

Satyajit Ray

Satyajit Ray-Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Composer, Writer, Graphic DesignerBorn: May 2, 1921, Kolkata (Calcutta), IndiaDied: April 23, 1992, Calcutta, India

The Writer

Satyajit Ray, standing 6'-4" tall, was a towering figure in the world of cinema. He studied at the university in Calcutta and later joined Shantiniketan, Rabindranath Tagore's university to study art. He began his career as a commercial artist (1943-56). He founded Calcutta's first film society in 1947 and made his first film, Pather Panchali (1955) while working at an advertising agency. Pather Panchali was an immediate success and won Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival.

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star5Pather Panchali with his Aparajito (1956, The Unvanquished) and Apur Sansar (1959, The World of Apu) are known as 'Apu Trilogy'. His later films include Jalsaghar (1958, The Music Room), Kanchenjunga (1962), Charulata (1964, The Lonely Wife), Ashanti Sanket (1973, Distant Thunder), The Chess Players (1977), The Home and The World (1984), Ganashatru (1989, Public Enemy), and Agantuk (1990, The Stranger).

Ray also edited Sandesh, a children's magazine and wrote numerous fiction and nonfiction works. In 1992 he received an honorary Academy Award.

The Writer

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star6Story Overview

7English Literature- Patol Babu Film StarThe story revolves around Patol Babu, a very common man in his fifties struggling for his living. Patol Babu has a talent of acting and was an amateur actor at a time. But due to sudden retrenchments in his office due to war costed him his nine year old job. Till then he was struggling to make a living.The story begins with the visit of a neighbor of Patol Babu named Nishikanto Ghosh. He tells Patol Babu that he has recommended his name for a role in a movie to his brother-in-law. He says Patol Babu to stay home so as to meet his brother-in-law Naresh Dutt and talk about the role. Patol Babu hadnt expected such news at the starting of the day. Acting in a movie was beyond his wildest dreams. Although he had been a very good actor once but acting in a movie was different thing. Naresh Dutt turned up at half past twelve. After a short talk Patol is finalized for the role and told to come on the shooting the next day to a place other than the studio. Naresh also tells him about his role and his required costume.Patol Babu reached the shooting sight at correct time. There was a big crowd over there. Patol Babu realized after seeing the preparations, that film making is a rather tough job. Patol Babu, who was sweating because of his high collared warm jacket, was welcomed by Naresh Dutt. He directed him to a shade. But then Patol Babu realized that he still didnt had his dialogues. He had to get them and learn them. How small will he feel if he muffed in the presence of so many people!

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star8 Then Naresh Dutt came up with a cup of tea for Patol Babu. When Patol Babu asked for his lines, he leaded him to a man named Sosanko who gave him his dialogues written on a paper. His line was- oh Patol Babu shocked at this. Were the people wanted to make fun of him in front of half of the city! A sigh came out of the depths of his hearts. But then he remembered his mentor Gogon Pakrashis advise that no matter how small the part is, it should be acted with full efforts. The memory of his guru made Patol Babu bow his head in obeisance. And then he reconciled to his dialogue. Oh,oh,oh,oh,oh-Patol Babu began giving the exclamation a different inflection each time he uttered it.And then he made an astonishing discovery. The same exclamation, when spoken in different ways carried different shaded of meaning. He realized that a true actor could make a mark with this one single syllable. Then he went behind the shooting sight and rehearsed for his role. He putted down all his efforts in that monosyllable word and came up with full confidence. He was called off after 30 minutes. He had a talk with the director. The director told him to apply a moustache. Then the shooting began. Patol Babu stood with a newspaper in hand. Chanchal Kumar came, they collided and director shouted cut. The scene was shooted successfully. Barren Mullick, the director, praised Patol Babu for his acting, and a total satisfaction swept over Patol Babu.He thought that what 15 or 20 rupees were when measured against the intense satisfaction of a small job done with perfection and dedication. He went home without getting paid.

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star9About Patol Babu

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star10Patol BabuName - Sitalakanto Ray(Patol Babu)Age - 52 yearsProfession- currently not employed, amateur actor Character - modest; passionate actor; traits diligent; talented; genial; unassuming;meticulous

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star11Difficult words from the story

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star12Genial = Extremely nice and happyRetrenchment = Economic decline or depressionDisgust = Dislike or repelDiffidence = Lack of confidenceCrucial = ImportantEsplanade = PathTremor = Shiver, TrembleStout = Heavy builtHoax = TrickPompous = Arrogant, BoastfulTrivial = Having little importanceEdification = Education, EnlightenmentObeisance = SalutationDevoid = LackingEnunciating = Speak clearlyExcruciating = Painful

Word meaning

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star13Idioms and phrasesUsed In the story

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star14Get in touch - to contactTurn away - disappointBeyond wildest dreams - unimaginablePut up - heldGave up - leaveSail smooth - to live without difficultiesTo be in someones good books - to be honorable and trustableWind up - closeTo send shiver down the spine - to make excitedTurned up - appearedShow up - comeBreak a news -tell a newsTo count chickens before they are hatched- to wonder about something which has not yet startedPull short - stopTo come up fast - to progress quicklyTo pull leg - to make fun of somethingWork out - prepareTo see stars before eyes - to be out of senses due to a collision

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star15Synopsis

An adaptation of Satyajit Rays short story, Patol Babu Film Star is about a one-time theatre actor, Patol Babu, in his fifties, struggling without a regular job and family responsibilities, who has nearly forgotten his love for acting. Quite by chance, he is given a chance to play a part in a movie. His enthusiasm about the possibilities that this might bring him is dampened when he realises at the movie set that his role is fleeting. His disappointment is overcome as he remembers what his Guru once told him: that every part in an act has that opportunity to enhance and the responsibility to fulfill the larger cause of the production. English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star16synopsis

In contrast, it wasbecauseof his passion towardsthe job that drove him to act in the film. He also says-"I'll be paid, of course, but that's not the main thing." He also knew that nobody would appreciate hisperformanceas he is only a minor actor in the film. Even though Baren Mullick praised him, he would soon forget about it. He says- "But all his labour and imaginationhe had put into this one shot--were these people able to appreciate that?" However, Patol Babu thought that his own satisfaction was more salient. He had proven his ability and talent in acting and these worked as a sort of motivation to him.English Literature- Patol Babu Film Starsummarysynopsis

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star18personal satisfaction versus financial rewards in patol babu :film star

In Patol Babu Film Star, Satyajit Ray has highlighted the idea that personal satisfaction is more important than financial rewards. According to him, one does a job because he is interested in it rather than because he can get reward from it.In the story Patol Babu was given only a minor role in the film, as a pedestrian who was only needed to collide with the main actor Chanchal Kumar and utter a monosyllable sound oh. Nevertheless, his passion to the job drove him to work hard to give the best performance by rehearsing himself. Eventually, he had done a terrific job and received praises from Chanchal Kumar, "You timed it so well that I nearly passed out." and Barren Mullick "Jolly good! Why, you're quite an actor!"

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star19

English Literature- Patol Babu Film Star20He felt very pleased with his performance and "a total satisfaction swept over him." He thought that it did not matter whether he received any payment or not. "What were twenty rupees when measured against the intense satisfaction of a small job done with perfection and dedication?" Thus, he did not wait to collect his payment.Patol Babu realized that personal satisfaction could not be measured and weighed by money. To him, personal satisfaction is more crucial than material rewards. Ever since the beginning, Patol Babu did not act in the film because of the money merely. In contrast, it was because of his passion towards the job that drove him to act in the film. "I'll be paid, of course, but that's not the main thing." He also knew that nobody would appreciate his performance as he is only a minor actor in the film.

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Even though Baren Mullick praised him, he would soon forget about it. He says-"But all his labour and imagination he had put into this one shot--were these people able to appreciate that?" However, Patol Babu thought that his own satisfaction was more salient. He had proven his ability and talent in acting and these worked as a sort of motivation to him.In the nutshell, personal satisfaction was more important than financial rewards and this idea work as one of the main issue in the story.

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